TOG Japanese Kitchen Knives

Sex, Drugs and Sausage Rolls: We interview Graham Garrett.

After a wild career in the 80’s as a drummer for bands like the YA YA and Dumb Blondes, Graham hung up his drumsticks and opened the doors of his highly acclaimed restaurant, The West House, in Kent. Within two years he had earned a Michelin star.

My musical career and cooking career are inextricably linked, hence the book and its title. I hope I’ve now put every embarrassing photo and anecdote that there is out there for all to see along with the story and recipes of what got me to this point.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am currently in the process of finishing the building of four luxury bedrooms at the restaurant to make the transition to Restaurant with rooms. We should hopefully be ready in about a month. Each room is decorated in a completely different style, including the inevitable Rock and Roll room, complete with its own hot tub.

Any tips for our readers?

My best tips for knife skills obviously start with the need for a great quality, sharp knife. When slicing or chopping anything, always keep the tip of the knife on the board, keep your fingers out of the way, and use a gentle rocking motion – let the knife do the work. If you are looking to invest in only one quality knife in your lifetime, you should seriously consider a TOG.

Informative and entertaining, the book features more than 50 recipes with influences drawn from all over the world. Graham describes his food as “ruthlessly seasonal” and his menus reflect the freshest possible ingredients.